lykke til
The Norwegian phrase for "good luck" is lykke til.
Lykke til! is the standard way to wish someone success before a specific event, such as an exam or a job interview.
Meaning: used to wish fortune on someone or as encouragement (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lykke til literally translates to "luck to".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Trøndelag region, the variation Lykke te is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "good luck with [something]", you add the preposition med followed by the object, resulting in Lykke til med det.
Did you know?
- In traditional Norwegian folklore, luck was not just a random chance but often viewed as a quality a person possessed, similar to a 'luck-spirit' or innate fortune.
- The Norwegian word lykke means both 'luck' and 'happiness'. While English separates these concepts, a Norwegian speaker uses the same word to describe a lucky break and a state of long-term joy.
- The preposition til in this phrase originally meant 'goal' or 'target' in Old Norse, suggesting you are wishing luck toward a specific destination.
Examples in context
- Lykke til!Good luck!This example shows how to use lykke til as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #8525132 by aucampia, translation #429220 by Clavain
- Lykke til med den nye jobben!Good luck with the new job!
- Jeg ønsker deg lykke til i morgen.I wish you good luck tomorrow.
Example conversation
Magnus is seeing Nora off before her big presentation.
- MagnusLykke til med presentasjonen, Nora!Good luck with the presentation, Nora!
- NoraTusen takk, Magnus!Thank you so much, Magnus!
- MagnusDu kommer til å gjøre det kjempebra.You are going to do great.
- NoraDet er veldig snilt sagt av deg.That is very kind of you to say.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lykke, til, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
